Mondegreens

Ever heard of a “mondegreen?” This is the term given to an incorrectly interpreted song lyric. The best example might be the people who think Jimi Hendrix is singing “Excuse me while I kiss this guy” in his song, “Purple Haze.” The term “mondegreen” dates back to 1954 when someone misheard a phrase in a Scottish song as “Lady Mondegreen” instead of “laid him on the green.” The word has been used by musical types since the 50s, but it’s only now–2008–that the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary has decided to include it. So there’s your assignment for the day: use the world “mondegreen” in a sentence. And add it to spell-checker of your word processor.